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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kit

Kit

♀ Girl

Pronounced KIT /kɪt/High

Meaning: Pure; English pet form of Katherine (Greek Aikaterine: pure) or Christopher (Greek: bearer of Christ)High

In 30 seconds: A one-syllable English pet form of Katherine (pure) or Christopher (bearer of Christ). Long used for both boys and girls, Kit now trends as a standalone name — breezy, vintage, and literary.
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Origin HighEnglish, Greek
MeaningPure; English pet form of Katherine (Greek Aikaterine: pure) or Christopher (Greek: bearer of Christ)
U.S. rank (2025)#1127 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births208 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,315

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519252025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kit is an English diminutive of Katherine or Christopher. Both Christopher Marlowe and Kit Carson bore this name as adults, giving it both literary and frontier associations. As a girls' name it is now rising as a standalone vintage choice.

Kit ranked #1240 for girls in 2024.

Did you know? Kit Carson (1809–1868), the legendary American frontiersman and explorer, popularized this as a bold masculine name in the American West. Meanwhile, Kit Marlowe (Christopher Marlowe, 1564–1593) gave it a literary shimmer in Elizabethan England.
Overall data confidence 87%
Behind the Name — Kit — etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

KatherineChristopher

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kit…

Bea— one-syllable vintage British name with the same crisp character
Nell— one-syllable vintage British name in the same revival
Fern— one-syllable nature name with the same literary vintage feel
Rue— one-syllable literary name with the same minimalist quality

Explore names like Kit

By themeenglishgreekunisexvintageliteraryone-syllablediminutive
By meaningPurity

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kit mean?

Kit means 'pure' as a pet form of Katherine, or 'bearer of Christ' as a pet form of Christopher.

How do you pronounce Kit?

It's said KIT — one syllable.

Is Kit a boy or girl name?

Kit is used for both sexes.

How popular is Kit?

Kit ranked #1240 for U.S. girls in 2024.

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